Fire Breaks Out At Sierra Leone’s State House; President Unharmed

A fire broke out on Saturday at Sierra Leone’s State House, the presidential building in central Freetown, according to government officials and eyewitnesses. President Julius Maada Bio was not in the country at the time, as he is currently attending a conference in Turkey.

The fire, which started around 4:00 p.m. local time, affected the third and fourth floors of the building. In a statement, the Ministry of Information confirmed that the president’s office on the second floor was not damaged.

“Emergency teams are working diligently to ensure it remains protected,” the ministry said.

Footage shared on social media showed flames bursting through the upper windows of the iconic white structure, with thick black smoke rising into the sky.

“We saw smoke and fire billowing from the windows and the top floor of the building this evening,” said Mohamed Kamara, a local resident.

Security forces quickly cordoned off the area while police and soldiers were deployed to manage the situation

Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the fire.